MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – A man has been arrested after an hours-long standoff at a mobile home in Manatee County Saturday evening.
According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, around 5:15 p.m., a deputy attempted to arrest 48-year-old Jamie Steffanuski for an active felony warrant when he brandished a firearm.
Police said that after Steffanuski showed his firearm, he fled into a mobile home at the Fair Lane Acres Mobile Home Park located in Bradenton.
Once he fled into the home, authorities said Steffanuski refused to come out and “made threats to harm deputies if they made entry to the home.” Following hours of negotiation, the sheriff’s office stated that Steffanuski finally surrendered to SWAT team members.
Then, as authorities began to take Steffanuski into custody, officials observed a fire inside the residence, prompting fire crews to respond to the mobile home.
Crews were able to extinguish the fire, but the mobile home was left “heavily damaged.”
According to the sheriff’s office, no one was injured during the fire or the standoff with deputies.
Authorities stated that they suspect Steffanuski intentionally set the home on fire moments before he surrendered to deputies. Steffanuski was arrested for aggravated assault on law enforcement and is under investigation for suspected arson.
On Sunday, the sheriff’s office announced that the Fire Marshal is conducting a separate investigation.
This is a developing story that will be updated with information as we receive it.
